Although football is a physically challenging sport, there is a lot of technique behind it as well. The art of defending, as taught by Paulo Maldini, and the art of holding the midfield as shown to us by N’golo Kante. These players are no less than artists, who have perfected their field and have become the best in their roles. So who has perfected the art of attacking, according to former Barcelona coach, Luis Enrique, it’s none other than Lionel Messi.
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The 34-year-old has been compared to legendary artists such as Beethoven and Salvador Dali by Enrique. According to the Spanish manager, Messi is a genius who has impacted football as much as Beethoven had influenced music, and as much as Dali had influenced modern art.
Both of those artists defied the odds and created their own kind of art to thoroughly express their ideas and Messi is quite the same on the field. In an interview with TV3, Enrique said,
"“It’s impossible to carry the ball so close at that speed.”“Losing for Messi is very hard for him. You could see it the next day, after the match. In football, Leo Messi is a genius, clearly, just like Beethoven or Dali.”Source Goal"
While for some it may seem impossible to dribble like Messi, the Argentine seems to keep the ball at his feet with ease. This is what separates him from the rest of the world and he can be called a genius at this sport. His six Ballon d’Ors, more than anyone else, is highly deserved and it is unlikely that we will see another player like him in the near future.
It is very important for Barcelona to retain their captain’s services however, there have been no new statements from either side and as things stand, he will become a free agent by the end of June. Messi was monumental for the team in the last season and if they cannot keep him, it will leave a huge hole in their team.
How influential is Lionel Messi for the sport of football?